the power of....

Simple ways to love yourself...

Self Love.

Sometimes I think there is a stigma to 'self love'.  Putting ourselves first, I don't believe comes natural to many, especially women.  Maybe it is that 'nurturing' gene... must take care of others and for some reason we don't value our wants/needs as important.

Yet...

...if we don't value ourselves as someone that is important, how can we expect others to?

What is it?

From Psychology Today:
"Self-love is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological and spiritual growth. Self-love is dynamic; it grows by actions that mature us. When we act in ways that expand self-love in us, we begin to accept much better our weaknesses as well as our strengths, have less need to explain away our short-comings, have compassion for ourselves as human beings struggling to find personal meaning, are more centered in our life purpose and values, and expect living fulfillment through our own efforts."

So how can we love ourselves more?  

Read on for some simple ways and give them a try... you will be amazed at how far these small steps go to making you feel special, and important and the more you feel that way... the more we treat ourselves even better.

1) Take care of yourself.  Ensuring that you provide yourself the basic needs such as proper nutrition, fitness, relationships and sleep will go a long way to making you feel good.

2) Say no.  Say no to things such as work, relationships, food... anything that does not have a positive impact on your well being.  It is ok to say no, for many of us it is a hard word to use.

3) Think about what you need rather than what you want.  Set goals for yourself, be it health, fitness, financially... and focus on them. 

• "Don't let what you want today, sacrifice what you are working towards tomorrow."  
• "Is what you are doing today helping you reach what you want tomorrow"

4) Mindfulness - be in the moment, know what you are thinking and feeling.  If something sets your soul on fire, then do it.   If not, think about it and perhaps it is not the right choice.

5) Relationships - "Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe"  surround yourself with people who have a positive impact on your life.  If someone consistently is hurting you being it physically or mentally then remove yourself from that relationship.  It is hard to love yourself when you have 'friends' who make you feel unworthy.

6) Forgive Yourself - We can be so hard on ourselves.  No one is perfect.  We all make mistakes.  If you make a mistake, learn from it,  move on and grow from it.

• "I am perfectly imperfect"

7) Intentional - I love this one.  It is my theme for this year.  Intentional living.  Living with a purpose or setting goals, helps you stay focused and on the right track.  If you don't have a goal or purpose, how will you know when you are there?  How will you know if you are successful?  There is something magical in setting a goal and achieving it you love yourself and set out to accomplish even more.  


So... have I convinced you?  It is not only ok it is IMPORTANT TO LOVE OURSELVES.